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An Address to the Rev. Dr. Alison - 19

IMMEDIATELY after the Execution of this Charter, the Province and Territories separated; and each of the three Provincial Counties elected and sent to the Seat of Legislation 8 Members, making up the Number 24, as the Charter directed. And the three Lower Counties sent 18, i. e. Six for each County, to their Assembly; I suppose by Virtue of a Law made for that Purpose. Hence the Meaning and Design of the Charter appears to be no more than to ascertain the Number of Members for each of the Counties then in being; and to limit that of the Provincial Assembly to 24, leaving the subsequent Legislatures to grant such a Number of Representatives to the new Counties, if any should thereafter be erected, as upon Consideration of their Circumstances should appear prudent and safe. Any other Construction of the Charter must be absurd and unjust.

IT is scarcely possible to ascertain the Number of Representatives that ought to be in any Country, and much less in a new One, on equitable Principles. I know of no Rule to fix their Proportions, but the Number of Taxables, and the Quantity of Money they pay towards the Defence and Support of the Government. And as the Number and Quantity of these are subject to continual Encrease and Changes, even this Mode must be attended with Difficulties if carried strictly into Practice.

HOWEVER, let us for once agree on this as a Rule, as we know of no better at present, and thereby examine into the Justice of the Complaint of the Frontier Counties, that they are not equally represented. To determine the Matter, we must fix on one County as a Standard: None can be settled as such with more Propriety than the County of Philadelphia, because it is the most opulent and numerous, and contains a greater Number of Men, who understand Government and Laws. Now the County of Philadelphia contains about 8300 Taxables, and pays towards the Support and Defence of the Government annually, upwards of £. 12,400, and sends eight

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